This is an update to a July 16 story. The original story
is included below it.

Synergy loses license for 2014 Gay
Games

Leaders assured that
the event will remain in Cleveland

by Eric Resnick

Cleveland--The Cleveland Synergy
Foundation lost the license to hold the
2014 Gay Games on July 6. Financial irregularities
and reporting issues appear to be among
the reasons.

Synergy is, or could soon be, in mediation
with the Federation of Gay Games over the
action, while neither Synergy nor the federation
will confirm or deny that mediation has
begun.

Cleveland officials are attempting to privately
assure LGBT community leaders that the city
is making every attempt to keep the Games.

Synergy’s loss of the license means that
currently no entity has rights to produce
the 2014 Gay Games.

Losing the license led the city to withhold
payment to Synergy of more than $38,000
to cover organizers’ travel to this year’s
Games in Cologne, Germany at the end of
the month. They are going to promote the
Cleveland event and participate in the ceremonial
transfer of the Gay Games flag from Cologne
to Cleveland.

“On July 6, 2010, the Federation of Gay
Games, Inc. (FGG) notified Synergy that
FGG was exercising its right to terminate
the license agreement with Synergy for the
2014 Gay Games in Cleveland and agreeing
to pursue voluntary mediation within fourteen
days to attempt to resolve the outstanding
issues,” wrote Cleveland Economic Development
Director Tracey Nichols in a July 7 letter
to Synergy founders Doug Anderson, Jeff
Axberg, and Brian Tavolier.

The letter was to notify Synergy that they
were not going to get the $38,000.

“As you know, the city’s contract with
the Sports Commission provides that the
city may finance costs incurred by Synergy
for the purpose of assisting with bringing
the 2014 Gay Games to Cleveland,” Nichols
wrote.

That money was allocated from the $700,000
pledged in support of the event by the city.

However, Nichols continued, “In light of
the notice given to Synergy by FGG, the
city hereby notifies Synergy that it is
suspending any further payments to Synergy
until the outstanding issues between the
FGG and Synergy are resolved and Synergy
continues to hold the license for the 2014
Gay Games.”

Nichols cited in the letter a “project
report,” which is a financial document due
from Synergy on June 1, which was not filed.

The private message to LGBT leaders is
that it is likely that the Sports Commission
will be taking a larger role in the Games
if they stay in Cleveland.

LGBT leadership is not being told that
Synergy lost the license, or given details
about what any of the partners’ options
are.

Two individuals who attended a July 14
meeting called by Cleveland Ward 3
Councilor Joe Cimperman told a reporter
under condition of anonymity that it never
came up.

The meeting, which was held at City Hall,
was supposed to be off the record.

Among those in attendance at that meeting
were Cleveland Sports Commission President
David Gilbert, and Mayor Jackson’s Chief
of Government Affairs Valarie McCall. Both
were copied on Nichols’ letter to Synergy.

McCall has been out of town and unavailable
for comment. Gilbert has not returned numerous
calls.

Cimperman, who sponsored the ordinance
setting aside the $700,000 and traveled
to Cologne last year to accept Cleveland’s
award of the Games, has not responded to
multiple requests for comment.

The two attendees who spoke about the meeting
knew nothing of the situation with Synergy,
and both said that the purpose of the meeting
seemed to be to re-assure them that the
Gay Games would be in Cleveland in 2014,
regardless of what they might hear.

Both believe personally that it doesn’t
matter who runs the Games as long as they
are in Cleveland, and neither were immediately
concerned when they learned of the facts.

Wammes is also on the Synergy Foundation
Council, an advisory group. He did not return
calls for comment.

The Federation of Gay Games continues to
be evasive when questioned about the dispute,
too.

Asked when the mediator is expected to
rule, and other questions about finances,
spokesperson Kelly Stevens e‑mailed,
“The Federation of Gay Games can not comment
on these questions and statements.”

“We can say: ‘We look forward to coming
to Cleveland-Akron for Gay Games IX in 2014.’ ”

Stevens said in a later call that a delegation
from Cleveland is going to Cologne, and
promised a list will be forthcoming.

Synergy is not answering direct questions
about this matter or about what will happen
to their Frivolity fundraiser event scheduled
for August 20. The event was promoted heavily
at Cleveland Pride.

They are, however, issuing statements that
seem to deny that anything of concern is
occurring.

On July 16, apparently in response to a
July 16 earlier Gay People’s Chronicle
report, Axberg, who is Synergy’s spokesperson,
released a statement saying, “We continue
to collaborate with the federation to ensure
the best outcome for the 2014 Gay Games,
as envisioned by our organization.”

“We respect the federation for not only
awarding us the opportunity to host the
Games, but for continuing to guide us throughout
this process with integrity and transparency,”
Axberg wrote.

Axberg, however, did not respond to numerous
e‑mail and phone attempts to obtain
clarity on that statement or explain what
parts of earlier reports are, as he alleges,
“erroneous.”

On July 19, Axberg issued another similar
statement, responding only to e‑mail
requests for clarity but answering few questions
posed.

Axberg then infers that the federation
broke the rules of the licensing agreement,
and wants a meeting of the two organizations’
boards.

“We have requested that the federation
join us in following this process of resolution
in order to maintain the integrity of our
organization, the FGG, and the future of
the Gay Games movement,” Axberg wrote.

Axberg concluded with “It is imperative
that Gay Games remain an event created by
the LGBT community, for the LGBT community,
with the partnership and support of the
host city.”

That statement is an oblique reference
to blog comments questioning whether or
not the Gay Games can only be produced by
an LGBT organization.

Pressed for more comment on July 19, Axberg
produced the section of the license agreement
that calls for meetings of the boards before
mediation.

However, Axberg would not explain why he
thinks it’s relevant.

Having lost the license, Synergy, not the
federation, would have had to ask for mediation.

Axberg declines to clarify this contradiction
or acknowledge that Synergy lost the license.

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This material is copyrighted by the Gay People’s Chronicle.
Permission is given to repost no more than
the headline, byline, and one or two paragraphs,
with the full name of the Gay People’s Chronicle
and a link to the full article on our website.
Reproduction of the entire article is prohibited
without specific written permission.

______________________________

July 16, 2010

Organizers
of 2014 Gay Games may be replaced

But the ‘intention is
to keep it in Cleveland’

by Eric Resnick

Cleveland--Something has happened
with the Cleveland group that is organizing
the 2014 Gay Games in northeast Ohio.

“There is discussion about a shift in management,
being dictated by the Federation of Gay
Games,” said Positively Cleveland’s Communication
Director Samantha Fryberger, “but the intention
is to keep it in Cleveland.”

That could mean that the Cleveland Synergy
Foundation, the group that put the proposal
together, could be replaced.

The Synergy Foundation and its partners
were called to a high-level meeting in Cleveland
to discuss the matter on July 13.

Her comment, however, confirmed speculation
going around the Internet that Synergy may
be replaced, and that the Cleveland selection
is in trouble.

At the same time, Federation of Gay Games
spokesperson Kelly Stevens confirmed that
there are discussions going on about Cleveland
that involve the federation’s co-presidents
Kurt Dahl and Emy Ritt.

“I think we will have a comment in another
week, but we’re not commenting now,” Stevens
said.

In a later e‑mail, Stevens wrote,
“We are very focused on events and planning
for Gay Games VIII in Cologne, Germany.”
Those games begin July 31.

“My focus is Cologne right now,” Stevens
wrote. “I am sorry I do not have any comments
for you.”

Anderson was reached after the Cleveland
meeting.

“On advice of several people, we have no
comment,” said Anderson. “When we have all
the facts, we will make a statement.”

Asked what the facts involve, Anderson
said, “No comment.”

Anderson was asked if Cleveland was in
any danger of losing the Games.

“No comment,” Anderson said.

On July 6, Boston’s Spirit magazine
published an article alleging foul play
with the selection of Cleveland and Akron
last year.

The other two cities in the running were
Boston and Washington, D.C.

Anderson spoke to Spirit, as did
his partner and Synergy co-founder Jeff
Axberg.

“We tried our best to follow all of the
rules and regulations, but there was some
conflicting information from the Federation,”
Axberg said. “On a personal level, I would
love for a city in North America like Boston
to host the Gay Games in 2018.”

Anderson and Axberg told Spirit that
they were confused about the rules for the
proposal.

The magazine reported that the rules limit
the number of sports to 28. Cleveland proposed
40, including the golf event, which is to
be held at Akron’s Firestone Country Club,
45 miles south of Cleveland.

“The guidelines also pushed cities to host
events within a 15-minute radius, accessible
by public transportation. Boston excelled
in accomplishing this feat,” Spirit reported.

Issues are also being raised around financing
and event management, questioning Synergy
and the Cleveland bid's commitment to securing
long-term sponsors and ensuring the Games
don't lose money.

On July 9, Outsports.com reported
that an unnamed person told them that the
Cleveland Synergy Foundation “had left or
been removed from their role as organizers
of the Games.”

Anderson and Stevens both refused comment
on that report.

However, both made attempts to discredit
parts of the earlier article to this reporter,
but would not say which parts were inaccurate.

Anderson called both articles “inaccurate.”

Asked what was inaccurate about them, Anderson
replied, “No comment.”

Stevens said the Spirit piece is
“an article by people who are unhappy about
the site selection.”

“Every worst comment got in that article,”
Stevens said.

Stevens said “the essence of it is true,
but the facts are wrong.”

Stevens, however, would not say which facts
were wrong nor offer any corrective information.

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This material is copyrighted by the Gay People’s Chronicle.
Permission is given to repost no more than
the headline, byline, and one or two paragraphs,
with the full name of the Gay People’s Chronicle
and a link to the full article on our website.
Reproduction of the entire article is prohibited
without specific written permission.